by Erica Bitektine (Medicine, Class of 2023) and Spandana Veeravalli (Medicine, Class of 2023)
With this rollercoaster of a year finally coming to an end, and with social distancing measures still strictly in place, we are all learning how to bring to life the annual holiday cheer without the excitement of parties and big family dinners. In this ordeal, many have lost one of their rare opportunities to spend time with their family and loved ones, thereby heightening feelings of isolation. In this context,, some of our peers have organized a few initiatives to help spread joy during these lonely holidays. If you are looking for things to do during your break or are experiencing loneliness, some of these initiatives are still active or upcoming.
A first initiative that has already reached completion is the distribution of holiday cards organized by Meet the Need Montreal. Targeting one of the most commonly isolated populations in our current times, the team has successfully coordinated the distribution of over 150 holiday cards to elderly individuals. Working in collaboration with NCSY Montreal, the group distributed their first set of cards for Hanukkah to members of the MADA community centre, which works with a predominantly Jewish population. Next, a set of around 50 French cards were made by community members and members of Meet The Need Montreal and were donated to Société Saint-Vincent de Paul (SSVP) Food Bank, one of Meet The Need Montreal’s partner organizations. Over 90 additional cards were thereafter made by Mountain View Elementary School students, along with members of the Polish Scouting Association in Canada and other students from the community. This last batch of cards were distributed at the Jewish Hospital’s geriatric ward and geriatric clinic as well as the Montreal General Hospital’s geriatric ward. “The initiative was a lot more successful than expected and we’re very happy with how things turned out." ~ Tharaniya Vallipuram, Executive member of Meet The Need MTL
Another project celebrating the spirit of the holidays while also fundraising for a good cause is the MSS MUSIC Holiday Benefit Concert happening on December 22nd at 8PM. It is organized by the “Musicians United for Student Instruments and Creativity” (MUSIC), a new student-run common interest club that focuses on promoting the development and exhibition of musical talent within the Faculty of Medicine at McGill. This event will showcase the incredible talent of medical and dental students performing as solo, duo or group acts, using musical instruments and/or their voices. The performances will be live streamed on Youtube at the time of the event, as well as compiled into a digital format to be shared with socially isolated patients in the hospital.
“These concerts will allow future and current healthcare professionals to connect with patients through the common language of music, and will provide a much-needed sense of connection and socialization for these patients. We are also looking into the possibility of setting up real time video chatting between the patients and musicians.” ~ MUSIC team member
Beyond simply bringing joy and weaving a sense of connection among patients in the hospital, as well as event attendees, it will also help raise funds for a new initiative called “MUSIC in the Wards”, which is set to pilot in early 2021! This project will facilitate the organization of virtual concerts for geriatric patients in the hospital in order to combat the lack of social stimulation and activities available to them due to the pandemic.
"We know very well that sharing music with patients improves their mental and physical health, and so we are hoping that as this initiative grows these musical interventions will become a standard of care. " ~ Matt Hintermayer, President of MUSIC
Moreover, the ongoing COVID restrictions on travel have made it impossible for many of our fellow students to be with their loved ones during this festive season. With the goal of supporting Quebec medical students through these lonely times, the Fédération médicale étudiante du Québec (FMEQ), has reached out to students from all universities across the province to find those who might be isolated from their loved ones. After gathering responses via this google form, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/14kasF1Q08W1s-PxNNu67A_cS0chUGVbLk29Qu3d1ILg/viewform?fbclid=IwAR2zjE-6QVX5XFn9z8d76eZ-wc9p6ex-3gGbisO2xD2KBGx9o7SqcALa03E&edit_requested=true, the group will send the students holiday cards and little treats as a way of showing their support and sharing some holiday cheer. The form also includes a component that offers to connect students and alleviate feelings of social isolation. This will also allow the FMEQ to gain a better understanding of how many students are currently feeling isolated in order to better plan for future initiatives that will help meet their needs during this pandemic.
Last but not the least, Exercise is Medicine McGill, another student club created an interesting twist on the concept of advent calendars by posting pictures, quotes and articles throughout December with the goal of promoting physical and mental wellness during the holidays. These posts cover topics such as exercise and its benefits, students’ own experiences of the effects of exercise on their mental health. You can find their posts by visiting their Instagram page @eimc.mcgill. Here is the link: https://www.instagram.com/eimc.mcgill/
It is heartening to see how our fellow medical students have come together to support some of those in our community who are facing the most amount of isolation. We hope you still get to celebrate the upcoming holidays and New Year’s with friends and/or family virtually, as we welcome a new year and the hope it brings in the form of nascent vaccinations campaigns. Enjoy your break, binge those shows, movies and books you’ve been wanting to plunge into all semester and go enjoy the snow that will hopefully come soon!
Stay safe and Happy Holidays from the Resonance team :)